In an emotional ending to a racially charged case, a federal jury yesterday convicted Lemrick Nelson Jr. of violating the civil rights of a Hasidic scholar during the Crown Heights race riots – but ensured the admitted stabber will walk free in less than two years by finding he didn’t cause his death.

After a moment of dismay at the guilty verdict, Nelson broke into a broad smile and let his head fall back in relief when the forewoman announced the panel does not believe the knife wounds he inflicted led to Yankel Rosenbaum’s death.

This finding drastically reduced the maximum sentence from life to 10 years – eight of which Nelson has already served as the result of previous prosecutions, according to his lawyers’ calculations.

The jury delivered its verdict after more than five days of tumultuous deliberations in which it indicated it was hung in three separate notes.

“Him smirking and smiling pains me. He’s thumbed his nose at the justice system,” an outraged Rosenbaum said outside of court. “We don’t see the smile of my brother.”

Rosenbaum was careful to thank assistant U.S. attorneys Lauren Resnick and Christina Dugger for their hard work – but blasted the jury for delivering a “compromise verdict” that gives a “murderer” reason to celebrate.

“The jury should see … what a terrible transgression they’ve committed – not only on the justice system, but on themselves. Lemrick Nelson, who they’ve given a free shot to, Lemrick Nelson is a murderer,” he said.

This was Nelson’s third trial in connection with the stabbing of Rosenbaum, 29, on August 19, 1991.

He was acquitted of state murder charges in 1992, but convicted of violating Rosenbaum’s civil rights in 1997. That verdict was overturned by an appeals court last year because of problems with jury selection.

The verdict closes the door on a painful chapter in the city’s history.

“There was never any doubt that Lemrick Nelson was the person who stabbed Yankel Rosenbaum, and there was never any doubt Lemrick Nelson stabbed Yankel Rosenbaum because he was Jewish. This jury today has found Lemrick Nelson guilty because of just that,” U.S. Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf told reporters – adding she was “disappointed” that Nelson dodged a potential life sentence.

Rosenbaum was knifed at the height of the deadly Crown Heights riots that began when a Hasidic Jewish driver – who was part of the Lubavitcher grand rebbe’s motorcade – ran onto a sidewalk and struck a 7-year-old black boy, Gavin Cato.

Rioter Charles Price began riling the crowd by shouting, “Let’s get a Jew!” That’s when Nelson joined an angry mob that hunted down Rosenbaum, and attacked him with fists, feet and knives.

At this trial, which included six days of testimony, Nelson adopted a startling new defense strategy. His lawyers admitted to the jury in opening statements that Nelson knifed Rosenbaum but claimed beer – not bigotry – drove him to it.

The jury’s verdict shows they didn’t buy the excuse.

But they also couldn’t pin Nelson with inflicting the fatal wound.

A medical examiner testified during the trial that Rosenbaum was knifed four times – but only two of the wounds were fatal. Prosecutors argued that Nelson stabbed Rosenbaum at least twice, but possibly more times.

Still, Nelson cheerfully hugged his three lawyers after the verdict, while his parents looked on from the spectators’ gallery.

“The verdict obviously doesn’t fit into the best-case scenario. It also doesn’t fit into the worst-case scenario,” said defense lawyer Richard Jasper. “We thought we were entitled to a full verdict of not guilty.”